This article on do-it-yourself wedding feasts by Nancy Krcek Allen appears in full in today's print edition of the Record-Eagle. Although we do not have permission to post Nancy's articles on-line, we are able to post the article's recipes.
Janice and Dave's Wedding Chicken Thighs
1/2 c. oyster sauce
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
To make the marinade, mix together the oyster sauce and balsamic vinegar in a large mixing bowl. Fold in the chicken thighs and make sure to cover them evenly with the marinade. Allow them to sit for four hours, refrigerated, in the marinade. Heat your grill. Wipe the chicken of excess marinade and grill meat until done, about 3 to 4 minutes per thigh.
Dianne and Jack's Wedding Spicy Southwestern Lasagna
12 servings (13-by-9-inch deep baking dish)
Double this for a stainless steel full "hotel" pan measuring approximately 12 by 20 inches and bake longer -- it will serve approximately 25 people.
8 c. roasted vegetables: approximately 4 bell peppers, 4 zucchini, 4 yellow squash and 2 c. corn
2 to 3 T. extra virgin olive oil
4 c. diced onion
6 to 8 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 c. diced tomato
1 to 2 T. toasted cumin seed, ground
2 t. ground coriander
4 c. cooked black beans
1/4 c. drained, sliced, pickled jalapeño chiles, lightly chopped
1/3 to 1/2 c. cilantro leaves
16 ozs. sour cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Extra virgin olive oil
12 cooked lasagna noodles
1 lb. shredded sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dice your vegetables into 1/2-inch cubes. Toss them with olive oil and salt and roast until slightly browned, about 30 minutes. Lower oven to 375 degrees.
Meanwhile, heat a skillet and add the oil. Cook the onion until almost tender then add the garlic. Cook a minute longer and add the tomato, cumin, coriander and cook for 5 minutes. Add the black beans and jalapeños and remove the pot from the heat. Cool it slightly and stir in the cilantro, sour cream and eggs.
Oil the baking dish liberally. Spread 1/3 c. of the sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Layer four noodles overlapping slightly and top with half of the bean mixture, half of the roasted vegetables, a third of the cheese and four more noodles. Repeat with the remaining half of the bean mixture and roasted vegetables, one-third of the cheese and the remaining four noodles. Top with the remaining cheese. Tent and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 35 minutes. Uncover carefully and bake lasagna until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Cool lasagna before cutting.
Dianne and Jack's Wedding Mediterranean Lasagna
12 servings (13-by-9-inch baking dish)
Double this for a stainless steel full "hotel" pan measuring approximately 12 by 20 inches and bake longer -- it will serve approximately 25 people.
Extra virgin olive oil
2 c. diced leeks, white and tender green only
4 c. finely diced onion
4 t. dried Greek oregano
2 t. fennel seeds
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 c. artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped--frozen or marinated and drained
10 medium tomatoes, chopped
12 cooked lasagna noodles
2 c. cooked, drained chickpeas
20 ozs. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
6 to 8 ozs. provolone cheese, shredded
1 lb. feta cheese, crumbled
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Over medium heat, heat a large skillet with enough olive oil to cover lightly and add the leeks and onion. Cook until about 5 minutes and add the oregano, fennel seed and minced garlic. Cook until the vegetables are soft. Add the artichokes and tomatoes and remove the pan from the heat to cool.
Oil the baking dish with olive oil. Arrange four of the noodles over the bottom of the pan. Top with half of the leek-vegetable mixture, half of the chickpeas and half of the spinach, half provolone and half of the feta. Repeat with another layer and finish with the remaining four noodles. Top with the remaining provolone and tent with foil. Bake in the oven until center is hot, about 35 minutes. Uncover and bake until cheese is bubbly and golden.
Chef and culinary educator Nancy Krcek Allen, owner of the former City Kitchen cooking school and dinner take-out in Traverse City, spent five years in Manhattan teaching at two large culinary schools.
Print this story
E-mail this story
